Ball after ball. From corner to corner. Novak Djokovic constantly pushed Félix Auger-Aliasim back and forth, left and right along the baseline of the Central Court on Wimbledon and won one shot after another.
Finally, on the 22nd shot of a grueling exchange near the end of the fifth-set super tiebreaker, Felix had a forehand in the middle of the court. Under normal circumstances, that would have been exactly the shot he was looking for.
Not this time. Not after five hours of fighting with the 39-year-old Djokovic.
Fourteen years younger, the Canadian with one of the best-ranked forehands on the tour ran out of gas. He hit a forehand wide and gave Djokovic a 9:4 lead.
Photo: AP Photo/Maja SmiejkowskaAt the end of his strength: Felix Auger-Aliassim
Then both players bent over in exhaustion and leaned on their rackets. In that position, Djokovic still found the energy to encourage the crowd to cheer louder, waving his right hand for more noise.
One point later, the longest quarterfinal in Wimbledon history ended — 5 hours and 15 minutes.
This is how the portal is sportsnet described the end of the match.
"These are the moments that keep me playing tennis," said Djokovic after the match.
Physical superiority
Yes, it was the longest quarter-final in Wimbledon history. Novak Djokovic and Felix Auger-Aljasim entered the sixth hour of a merciless battle, finished the fifth set with a score of 6:6 and reached a super tiebreak, which is played on 10 won points.
And then Novak Djokovic showed everyone that he simply refuses to age. He ran after every ball, was everywhere on the field, returned everything, attacked, won long exchanges, as if he was 14 years younger than the Canadian, and not the other way around, as if the match had just started, and not in the sixth hour. The result of the decisive, third in the match, tiebreak – 10:4.
American magazine Sports Illustrated He then declared Djokovic the Benjamin Button of world tennis, a character from Scott Fitzgerald's story who was born old and rejuvenated over time.
Because Nole did play an outstanding match against Felix, who is playing in the shape of his life, he did show all his knowledge, experience and a rich arsenal of shots, but the most fascinating thing to watch was that at no point was there any noticeable physical weakness in him, certainly not greater than in the much younger, athletically built Canadian.
Djokovic was carried by the atmosphere on the Central Court, he flew on the "sacred" grass as if in 2011, when he won his first Wimbledon trophy against Nadal, or in 2014, when he defeated Roger Federer in five sets.
Only when it was all over, during a short, victorious interview on the field, it was clear how exhausted he was.
Photo: AP Photo/Maja SmiejkowskaThe winner
Two days break then Siner
Fortunately, he now has a two-day break before the semi-final clash with Siner, the current number one on the ATP list.
It will be Djokovic's biggest obstacle on the way to his eighth Wimbledon title and 25th Grand Slam trophy.
About historical results, broken records, another time. At this late stage of his career, Djokovic is pushing the boundaries of tennis statistics every time he takes the court.
Real journalism costs money, and we will not be bought by tycoons and corporations. Support us with a one-time or monthly donation. The time for it is now!
